October 28, 2010 10:35 p.m.

I have to admit, I am proud of myself this Fall.  Last winter, the extreme cold killed so many of our plants.  Our yard was in dire need of some primping, and I planted flowers and flowering shrubs this month.  Plants like Pentas, Plumbagos, Azaleas, Bouganvilleas, Mums, Thryallis, Ixora, Firespikes, Crossandra, and others.  Here are some pictures so you know what I mean...




Not super fancy, but a big deal for me.  I am even remembering to water them all every day.  Pretty good for this girl.

I am beginning to weed places that have been ignored for too long.  We also had to hire a tree service today to do a minor job, but we simply didn't have the equipment to do it on our own.  So within a half hour's time, a work crew came here and cut back the live oak tree from the front of our house, in order to diminish the fire hazard due to a lightning strike.  (Our dear homeowners' insurance company threatened to terminate our coverage if we didn't do this).  So here are some before and after shots...

Before.

AFTER!!  (even the clouds were removed, see?)

Before.

AFTER!!  What a relief!

Another thing, I am bad about holiday decorating.  Really bad.  Every year I think I'm going to decorate, and then I have no time to even think about it.  So I am proud -- no, amazed -- at myself for actually coming up with an autumn decoration.  And it is still just October!  Are you ready for this?

Oooooohh!   Aaaaahhh!

October 27, 2010 10:54 p.m.

It is hard to believe we have been home from our Yellowstone trip for a month, now.  October has truly slipped away.

Here is a sampling of photos to show the highlights of this past month.


 The children were thrilled, simply thrilled, to have Calvert School get underway again.  Look at the excitement and enthusiasm!




When the weather grew cooler, Chips chose to take his lessons outdoors.  Here he is reading Science inside his "teardrop trailer".  Too funny!


















   

Unfortunately for us, it was also the month in which Operation Yellow Jacket Attack occurred.  First, the yellow jackets attacked Self-Reliant Man while he was mowing the pasture on his tractor.  BAD.  He received five stings, some underneath his hair on his head.  We know, it could have been much worse.  Then one evening after sundown, Self-Reliant Man and I had the perfect plan to annihilate this underground yellow jacket nest of unknown population and proportions.  Here is the way I dressed for the operation.  I wanted to take a picture of Self-Reliant Man in his "suit" as well, but my digital camera lens froze (temporarily).  It unfroze after the Operation was done and we had changed into normal clothing.  Isn't that always the way?




Chips wanted to celebrate his Gotcha Day by hitting the local ice rink.  Sweet Girl benefited from this, too.  It was their very first time on ice skates.  At first, they both stayed near the wall...


    

But later on, Chips ventured toward the center of the rink.


 
Eventually Sweet Girl did, as well.  The both did great for their first time.  Yours Truly would not get on skates for fear that I would injure myself.  It's not like it hasn't happened to me before.  And Self-Reliant Man doesn't feel so Self-Reliant on steel blades on ice.  So the kids were on their own.

But like I said, they did great!